


Traditions

by Joking611



Series: Cari'ssi'mi Drabbles [15]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Cari'ssi'mi, F/F, Family, Fictober 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-13
Updated: 2019-10-13
Packaged: 2020-12-14 07:54:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21012353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joking611/pseuds/Joking611
Summary: Families can be complicated. Blended families even more so.Takes place during Fragments Ch 23, more or less.





	Traditions

**Author's Note:**

> Fictober 2019 prompt #6 - “Yes, I’m aware. Your point?”

Shepard cracked an egg over the simmering sausages and tomatoes.

“Denai, why does it still bother everyone when I’m in the kitchen?”

“You know why, Sarah.”

The matron’s easy response was one that few in the House could duplicate. With the exception of those closest to Liara, many of the maidens were still tongue tied around her. Most of the matrons were calmly formal, and the matriarchs… Well, the matriarchs treated her like a particularly slow child who was _almost_ on the verge of exceeding her limitations.

Those that didn’t try to flirt with her, at least.

Sarah glanced over to Denai, whose posture was correspondingly relaxed. Her _princeps _was leaning against the doorframe, a mug of tea in one hand, a datapad in the other.

“Tell me anyway.”

Denai looked up from her ‘pad without lifting her head. “It makes the others uncomfortable.”

Sarah drizzled some olive oil over the simmering contents of her pan. “Yes, I’m aware.” She waited for a followup. “That was it? That’s your point?”

Denai deactivated her ‘pad with the air of a parent who was being forced to pay attention to her child. “There was no point, Peeress. House T’Soni has had millennia to build traditions around asari propriety and norms.” She shrugged. “Your behavior is not one that has an established, customary response. That makes them question themselves. It makes them fear that you might consider any response to be incorrect.”

“Denai, it’s been weeks.”

“Peeress, Jirtea has served the needs of the family for over fifty years. Compared to that, weeks are infinitesimal.”

Sarah “She’s a kid, Denai. How does someone who’s barely a hundred and forty become that traditional?”

“Why do you expect her to be anything more than what she is, Peeress?”

Shepard made sure the whites of the eggs had set before removing her pan from the heat, adding a pinch of salt and pepper before turning for plates. “Why do you always call me ‘Peeress’ when you’re annoyed at me?”

“I am not annoyed Sarah, but sometimes addressing you by your station does prompt you to be more honest with yourself.”

A sharp look for that. “And how am I lying to myself?”

“Why are you here?”

“On Thessia?”

Denai responded with a _look_.

“Fine.” Sarah looked to the ceiling as if calling for strength. “I was hungry. And a little bored.”

“And lonely,” continued Denai. “You can admit it.”

“You were in my office. If that wasn’t enough, I could have just gone to bed. Liara might still be awake.”

Denai shook her head. “Neither of those options offer you the spontaneous interaction you crave. I believe it is a human societal norm.” She grinned. “If you cook, they will come?” She cocked her head at Sarah’s puzzled look. “It is what you were used to on the Normandy, or when you were on Mindoir. You would cook, and others would gather, giving you people to talk to.” She took a sip of her tea. “Your status here precludes you from getting the response you expect, so you seek to find a way to overcome it.”

“That just makes me sound pathetic.”

“Such is not my intent. It does however, mean that you are in exactly the same position you observe in Jirtea. Your actions do not provide you the reaction you have grown accustomed to, which creates confusion.”

“Fine. Whatever,” she replied in a surly tone. “You followed me down here at least. Are you going to eat any of this?”

Denai sniffed as she made a show of inspecting the commander’s cooking. “You haven’t made nearly enough.”

“Enough for what?” Sarah looked at the pan. “There’s more than enough for two.”

“But not enough for six,” she corrected.

“Six?”

“I let Eliata, Lysliis, Anedra, and Teseka know you were cooking.” She nodded in the direction of the staff dining area just off the kitchen. “Teseka seemed particularly interested in anything that you would label a ‘fry-up’.”

“It didn’t occur to you to say anything before?” Asked Sarah as she feigned grumpiness while turning the stove back on.

“Denai is correct, Peeress.” A new voice surprised Shepard as Jirtea entered the kitchen from the opposite side. “The House has a great many traditions. Perhaps it is time for some new ones.” She paused. “I would also like to try your fry-up.”

Shepard glanced over her shoulder. “Someone’s going to need to make more tea.”

“It would be my privilege… Sarah.”


End file.
